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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27039673">Anger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/stark2ash/pseuds/stark2ash'>stark2ash</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Aro/Ace Avengers [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(not the focus of this one), Acephobia, Aromantic Bruce Banner, Asexual Awareness Week, Asexual Bruce Banner, Asexual Character, Asexuality Spectrum, Bruce Banner &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, Gen, and I wrote him that way even though he's my fave, anti tony stark but only because he’s super OOC, except Tony is being an Asshole</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:35:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,720</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27039673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/stark2ash/pseuds/stark2ash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Maybe if she was getting some, she wouldn't be so fucking uptight all the time."</p><p>"Not having sex doesn't make someone uptight." The words left his mouth before he could stop them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Aro/Ace Avengers [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1825051</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Asexual Spectrum Sex-Averse Main Characters</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Anger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>wow anger for Bruce what a purely original concept</p><p>TW: acephobia/thinking that everyone is allo<br/>edited 12/14/20</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was cheap humor, a comment meant to elicit a few laughs and be forgotten after a couple of seconds. Tony was watching a news broadcast with Clint, and the reporter was digging into the allegedly tense team dynamics after the Ultron incident.</p><p>“Maybe if she was getting some, she wouldn’t be so fucking uptight all the time.”</p><p>Bruce wasn’t really paying attention, just letting their conversation serve as background noise as he ate lunch, but the comment caught his attention. He looked up, tuning into the broadcast. The reporter made a few good points, showing clips from fights where Tony and Steve had argued in the moments after, along with a particularly close up of Thor rolling his eyes before flying away.</p><p>“Not having sex doesn’t make someone uptight.” The words left his mouth before he could stop them. <em>Shit. </em>He'd been so careful to project normal over everything he did, couldn't bear to be the guy that turns into something horrifying AND be different in some other fundamental way. </p><p>“Come on, Brucie, she has a stick up her ass 100% of the time. She deserves to loosen up a little. This attitude from her is simply unacceptable.” Tony looked over the back of the couch, talking through his rapidly panicking inner thoughts. On screen, the reporter was showing a clip of the Hulk punching Thor through a building, an unfortunate structural casualty of their recent battle against a Hydra cell in the Northwest. It had been abandoned, and the punch had been nothing but a friendly competition between them, but Bruce still winced.</p><p>“Here we see that some members of the Avengers are actually physically turning on each other. How does this affect their cohesion? Should we be able to trust them with the protection the country? Is the Hulk a dangerous monst-“</p><p>“JARVIS, mute it please.” The TV fell silent, even as the screen continued to show clips of the team. “We didn’t need to listen to that,” said Clint. He felt a wave of appreciation for the archer, even as he felt his hands shake.</p><p>“Ok but Bruce, she deserves to get out, have a little fun.” Tony was still turned toward him, a teasing smile on his face, even as Bruce felt his stomach turn. “Get out all her sexual frustration out instead of beating us up on her show every day.”</p><p>He was doing this, apparently, because self-preservation had never been his strong suit and he didn't think Tony was being antagonistic on purpose. They were friends. He just didn't know how to actually word it without sounding angry. “Are you seriously suggesting that all of her opinions stem from that? That if she just ‘had a little fun’, she’d show up and be our best friends?” <em>Great job, Bruce. That didn't sound mean at all. </em>His heart felt like it was on overdrive. He dropped his plate from lunch into the sink a little too loudly, ran the water over his sweaty palms.</p><p>Tony frowned. “No, I – “ He looked at Clint for backup, but the man shrugged and laid back on the couch. “Why are you defending her? She’s literally getting paid to bash on us. She definitely hates you.”</p><p>Bruce planted his hands on the counter for support, kind of thankful that Clint decided to bow out of the conversation. “I don’t know, okay. It seems like an invalid point of criticism. Plenty of people don’t have sex. Plenty of people are celibate. Attack her all you want for her views and opinions but don’t criticize her because you have a theory on why she hates the Avengers.” He knew he was worked up, knew that he had successfully avoided Tony’s more explicit comments up to that point because of his reputation as the good cop of their science duo. Knew that Tony didn’t understand how personal this was getting for him.</p><p>“Yeah, but that’s just because they can’t get anyone to sleep with them.” Bruce’s hands slipped a bit. “And it’s not like it’s that hard, either.” Tony said. “If you lower your standards enough, anyone’s willing. Not that I’ve ever had that problem.” He raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner, and green tinged the edges of Bruce’s vision.</p><p>“I’m not going to sit here and explain this just because you can’t conceptualize experiences other than your own.” Tony gaped at him.</p><p>“Dr. Banner, your current vitals are outside of normal parameters. May I suggest-“</p><p>“JARVIS, I’m fine.” He took a breath. Tony was still frozen on the couch. His mouth was still open, poised to respond in some way, whether it be scathing or apologetic.</p><p>Bruce didn’t want to stick around to find out.</p><p>-</p><p>“Dr. Banner, Sir is outside your door.”</p><p>“Tell him to come back later.” Bruce had never locked Tony out of his lab before.</p><p>He was afraid he would say something he’d regret. Funny, how he was more scared of the pain that could come from his words than the destruction from his body.</p><p>How many times had he heard exactly what Tony expressed? How many times would someone suggest that he should go out and “get it out of his system”? How many times would his friends sit in a circle and laugh about someone’s lack of experience, how many times would Clint look at him with sad eyes and a clap on the back every time it came up that Bruce hadn’t had a date in years? How many times would he have to say, “I don’t mind, really,” before they would stop trying to set him up with every woman in the chemistry department?</p><p>The lab door beeped several times, then slid open to reveal Tony, looking somehow sheepish and confident at the same time.</p><p>Something flared inside of Bruce. “Are you serious? I tell JARVIS not to let you in and you use your override code within the minute?” There were a few tables between him and the door, but he was sure Tony could still read the anger etched in his features.</p><p>“Well, JARVIS said you weren’t green, so I figured…” Tony winced. “I want to apologize.” Bruce gestured for him to go on, keeping his arms crossed over his chest. “I meant it as a joke.”</p><p>“It wasn’t funny.”</p><p>“I mean, it kind of was. Barton laughed.”</p><p>“Yes, because Barton’s sense of humor is definitely what we should be basing all jokes on.” He could feel the tension running through his body. </p><p>Tony stared at him in the same way he had in the beginning of the earlier conversation. “Bruce, if this is about you being upset about being a virgin, I can help you change that.” His mouth dropped open and he clenched his fists, reminding himself that Tony had all the tact of a four-year-old child learning about amputees for the first time. Tony must have mistaken his silence for shocked agreement, because he started listing off different strategies, gesticulating as he walked closer to where Bruce was standing. “We’ll have to get you back into the dating pool, or we could just throw together a Tinder account and see how many people are into the soft geek look that you’ve got going on."</p><p>A pit sank in his stomach, and he found himself wishing he hadn't eaten quite so recently. “No, Tony, I’m not… Sex doesn’t…” He tried again. “That’s not a good idea.” God, he kind of wished Tony would put on his press face and be charming and not so open, because this was worse. This was unfiltered, and Tony thought he was a freak.</p><p>“I mean, if it’s a Hulk thing, we could figure it out. If you’re worried about losing control, I’m sure I could whip up some expandable thing for you to practice with until you’re ready to dive back into the dating pool. Plus, tons of people are horny for Hulk on Twitter, so it’s not like that’s a deal breaker.” Tony shrugged at him. “Whatever route you want to take, we can solve this little problem of yours.”</p><p>The electric lights buzzed in the silence that followed. Bruce wanted to unlive the last few seconds. “Why on earth would you assume that any of that would interest me after I’ve already turned down any of your help on multiple occasions?”</p><p>“Everybody wants –“</p><p>“No, not everybody wants. I, specifically, don’t want.”</p><p>“Just poll the general population. I’m sure you’ll find –“</p><p>“Stop.” They were standing closer to each other now, and Bruce was hoping Tony could actually understand him. “This isn’t a fun little debate. This is something that genuinely upset me that you now refuse to apologize for.” His hands were shaking again, and he crossed them in front of his body.</p><p>Tony huffed. “I’m sorry for upsetting you, but I don’t know why you’re so pissed off about it.”</p><p>He didn’t want to explain himself, he really didn’t. Too many risky outcomes, too many variables unaccounted for. One too many emboldened Tony Starks standing in his lab, believing they were unfailingly right. "When you criticize people based on their appearance or how you interpret their life, even if they're awful, it hurts anyone else with that appearance or life." He felt warm, and he could hear the lights buzzing. "Some people don’t have sex,” he said, trying to stick with his point from before. “You shouldn’t judge them just because they’re not fulfilling your idea of the ideal life." He willed Tony to take the statement at face value, to not read too deeply into it.</p><p>Tony looked at him, reaching out a hand and then pulling it back as he completely missed the point. “Bruce, you know we can fix almost anything. I’m sure there’s a way to help you feel more normal.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “You know, if you don’t want a stranger, I’m sure Natasha might be –“</p><p>“Get out.” Bruce pointed to the door, and Tony jumped back in alarm. He knew his veins were turning green, knew his eyes had already changed. “NOW.” Half Bruce, half Hulk, and enough to get Tony out of the lab and into the elevator, finally leaving him alone in the space. Enough for him to sink into a chair and try to forget the last half hour.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the beginning part of this came from a personal experience I had with some friends talking about a woman who I really admire. the "it's just a joke" but it doesn't feel like it. the chill of wondering if they're laughing about that, will they laugh about me? will they tell me to at least try it once, so I "know what I'm missing out on"?</p><p>in all seriousness, I feel like there's a problem somewhere in joking about a woman's past and current sexual experience in relation to her emotional control, and it bothers me that not having sex is brought up as a big reason why women are angry or frustrated about something completely unrelated. and sure, it probably has some connection, but it's always the first thing people jump to. "she got super mad today for no reason, she really needs to get laid" instead of "I wonder if something bad happened this morning. did she spill coffee or forget her keys or is she dealing with something I don't know about?</p><p>anyways. that's not really in this fic because Bruce is a cis man who probs hasn't dealt with this kind of gendered nonsense personally. but I wanted to put it here. </p><p>if you liked this and want more aro/ace avengers stories, check out the series this fic is in, and some of my other works!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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